1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a logic cell library. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and a method for efficiently qualifying a logic cell library storing process parameters and properties of a specific semiconductor FAB when the logic cell library is newly developed or modified.
2. Description of the Related Art
Foundry corporations mainly making an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a system-on-chip (SoC) while managing there own semiconductor FAB store specific process parameters and properties, which are suitable for the semiconductor FAB, in the form of a library. When a customer orders the foundry corporation to make a certain semiconductor product, the foundry corporation provides the customer with libraries of the semiconductor FAB suitable for the order of the customer, and the customer designs the semiconductor product suitable for the semiconductor FAB of the foundry corporation by using the provided libraries. Accordingly, since the libraries are the most important materials provided to the customer, the customer demands qualified libraries.
However, according to the development of semiconductor process technology or the demand of the customer, a logic cell library is frequently modified or newly developed. In this case, it must be determined whether or not the modified library or the new library is actually suitable for a semiconductor FAB. If the modified library or the new library is actually suitable for the semiconductor FAB, the modified library or the new library must be qualified.
In general, a semiconductor chip includes various types of blocks, and each block includes logic cells. The logic cell library has various information about each cell, such as cell size, signal processing time (timing) from signal input to signal output, and power consumed in signal processing. However, since several hundreds of logic cells exist and various properties must be qualified, time and effort is necessary to qualify all logic cells of the logic cell library. In addition, when a worker qualifies the logic cells in person, the worker may make a mistake.